Well, there’s not much news out there except for Covid, Marihuana busts and Christmas lighting, so I have decided to do an editorial on the latter.

All along the Costa Tropical, towns have announced that their Christmas street decorations in the form of illuminated arches, etc, are up and running… which begs the question, what are town halls thinking?

We are all waiting on what the Junta decides for the municipalities in which we live (can we cross our boundaries and if so, how far?) while at the same time we are informed that Christmas get togethers are to be restricted from the Central Government.

The underlying message, quite sensibly is, go out as little as possible – hence the night curfew and shops closing at 18.00h, but if that is the case… why the Christmas lights?

I mean, the whole point of Christmas street illumination is to get you to go out onto the streets and admire them, which flies in the face of stay at home and avoid contact with others.

Is it to stimulate Christmas shopping – spend in local businesses?

Whatever the case it is a contradiction and that has long been the problem: contradictions and vagueness to the point that the average citizen doesn’t know if he is coming or going.

Yes, we get it; there’s a fine balance between protecting the public health and boosting the flagging economy but the message for this long bank-holiday weekend (four days) is stay at home, don’t try to occupy your second home on the coast and behave ourselves in general because otherwise the contagion figures will climb and scupper Christmas… then why the hell has Almuñécar, Salobreña and Motril, amongst other towns around the province put up Christmas lights in the first week of December?

Will the Three Kings turn around and go home or Santa stay at home and sulk if the lights are not turned on until, say, the 20th?

Whilst we’re on the subject, why all this vagueness about who can come and eat Christmas lunch with you? Why not clearly say, this Christmas only those living under one roof will sit around your table? Hell, why not have your Christmas get together at Easter or even summer? Bérchules in the Alpujarra celebrates New Year’s Eve with grapes and midnight chimes in August, which is a very popular event, so couldn’t we, just for once, do the same for Christmas?

Anyway, this is not supposed to be a rant but rather put some questions out there and hopefully, some of our readers will leave their thoughts on the subject below in the Comments Box.

(News/Editorial: Coming or Going this Christmas?)